Media Moves & News for June

PR Newswire’s media research team continually updates the media database that powers our MEDIAtlas service, and our popular Microlists, which let you target niche audiences on the fly. Here’s a summary of recent media and blogger updates.

Conde Nast is moving its offices downtown. It was announced that the publisher will lease new office space at 1 World Trade Center. Conde Nast which publishes magazines including Vogue, The New Yorker and Vanity Fair, expects that approximately 3,000 workers will move in to the new office in late 2014. The 25-year lease with Port Authority will cost about $2 billion. It is anticipated that construction for 1 World Trade Center will be complete by the move in 2014 and will be country’s tallest building at 104 stories.

McClatchy Newspapers announced more layoffs at its newspapers. The cuts include 24 at The Kansas City Star, 20 at the Raleigh News & Observer (Raleigh, NC) and 15 at The Miami Herald.

The Casey Anthony trial has created much buzz in Florida as Orlando’s local stations (ABC, CBS, NBC, and Fox) are all pushing to provide live streaming video content on the trial on their websites in which viewers can watch, read comments from reporters, and comment themselves on the trial. This trial compares to the 90’s coverage on the O.J. Simpson trial where viewers turned to Court TV for coverage.

It was announced that the Miami Herald’s parent sold 14 acres of waterfront land ,that surround The Miami Herald’s headquarters, to Asia’s third largest casino company for a pay of $236 million. McClatchy, the Herald’s parent company, announced that the deal was made upon a decision to bring in a growth in revenue to the company that was not met by advertising revenues and staff cuts at its newspapers across the U.S. What does this mean for the Herald? The daily will now have a new location but the changes won’t take in effect until another two years.

The Boston Globe is negotiating to print and deliver The Boston Herald. The deal would layoff the Herald’s truck drivers allowing the Herald to cut labor cost while the Globe gains a new client for its printing and delivery service. The editorial offices will remain separate.

CNN (Cable News Network) Anchor Erin Burnett (Erin.Burnett@turner.com) who hosts Squawk on the Street and Street Signs for CNBC Cable Network will jump to join CNN as its new Anchor and Chief Business and Economics Correspondent. The change is set to take effect some time in June in which Burnett is set to host a daily show from its New York bureau. Information and name of the show has not yet been revealed.

Patch (http://www.patch.com), America’s local news source produced by AOL, has doubled its size since December to over six million unique visitors. This network now offers local news in 20 states and is continuing to expand. Brian Farnham (brian@patch.com) is the Editor-in-Chief of this amalgamation of local news brought nationally.

Michael Redding, CEO and Publisher of the Daytona Beach News-Journal (Daytona Beach, FL), has denied allegations of ever encouraging the reporters and editors to sell ads and subscriptions in an effort to increase their paychecks or as a form of bonus payments. Redding’s defended himself by saying that doing so would be against the company policy and his editors were well aware of this. He stated, “If a reporter walked in my door and said he had just sold an ad or a subscription, I wouldn’t fire him, but I would say don’t you do that anymore.” Reporters who were contacted for an interview to confirm the validity of the ad incentive newsroom program rumor confirmed the reports were true but refused to reveal their identity in fear of getting fired.

A new magazine has opened its publishing doors to South Florida’s residence. Plum Miami, a magazine geared towards luxury lifestyle for elite residents in the South Florida area, will feature coverage on Miami’s upscale fashion, restaurants, travel, art, autos, architecture, and interviews with celebrity contributors. The newly released publication is under the management of Managing Editor Eric Newill (enewill@plumtv.com). The publication is set to be published ten times a year with distribution targeted to wealthy local residents and influential luxury hotels and international locations.

Host of HLN’s evening show Nancy Grace reveals that her decision to walk away from her hit HLN show “Swift Justice” was a decision based on family issues rather then monetary concerns. Upon learning that CBS has decided to move the show to Los Angeles instead of continuing to film in Atlanta, Grace has decided to step down as Host because the show did not allow her to be close to her husband and two children who reside in her hometown in Atlanta. “Swift Justice” has earned 2 million viewers and is considered one of the highest rated new syndicated shows in the market with a nomination for a Daytime Emmy. Replacing her role as Host is Judge Jackie Glass (jackie.glass@turner.com).

A new magazine has launched in Orange County, New York. Entitled simply, “Dirt” the bi-monthly publication explores sustainable living. The magazine will include articles such as how to reduce your carbon footprint and organic gardening. The editor is Becca Taylor, who can be emailed at editor.dirt@strausnews.com.

Collected (http://www.collectedmag.com) brings collectors and interior design together in a new online magazine that creates great interiors. Krista Schrock (krista@collectedmag.com) and Jessica Comingore (jessica@collectedmag.com) are the Co-Editors.

Oprah’s open time slot has allowed for the expansion of WINK-TV (Fort Myers, FL) as they prepare to expand their programming with a new 4:00 p.m. newscast and a new weekend morning newscast. The weekend newscast is set to air from 7:30 to 9:00 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday. They also announced the promotion of Erin Maloney (erin.maloney@winktv.com) as the new Weekend Anchor Desk. She will be joined by new hire Katie Walls (katie.walls@winktv.com) who will serve as Meteorologist for the weekend newscast.

Staff changes have occurred at CBS Interactive, an umbrella that includes CBSNews.com, CNET, and BNET. Executive Editor Neil Katz has left for the Huffington Post. Ysolt Usigan joins CBSNews.com as Lifestyle/Technology Editor for Women. Corbett Daly joins as Deputy Political Editor. He was previously with Thomson Reuters Financial.

With great regret and much deserved respect, South Florida Sun Sentinel (Fort Lauderdale, FL) has announced the death of veteran news reporter Gregory Lewis who has recently passed away. Lewis was responsible for covering News and Minority Affairs for the daily. He has also worked for the San Francisco Examiner and the San Francisco Chronicle.

Los Angeles Times publisher, Eddy Hartenstein has been promoted to President and CEO of the Tribune Company. Mr. Hartenstein will remain publisher of the LA Times and will continue to reside in Los Angeles

NBC has launched round-the-clock regional news programming on the digital channels for NBC stations, KNBC-TV in Los Angeles, KNTV-TV in San Francisco and KNSD-TV in San Diego. NBC California Nonstop will be dedicated to capturing the true essence of life in California.

Christina Norman is out as CEO of OWN: The Oprah Winfrey Network as the network struggles to attract viewers.

Popular entertainment gossip TV show TMZ will launch a 1 hour program on SiriusXM radio. Founder Harvey Levin will host.

The sudden death of KCBS-TV/KCAL-TV Media Manager James Kang shocked and saddened staffers of this duopoly. Kang left work after complaining of a headache and was later found dead in his car in the stations parking structure. Kang was 42.

WMAQ-TV Sports Anchor Daryl Hawks was found dead in an Atlanta hotel room after missing a wake-up call. Hawks was in town to cover the NBA playoff series between the Chicago Bulls and Atlanta Hawks.

Tribune Broadcasting Company and ITV Studios America will produce and syndicate for television The Bill Cunningham Show, which is set to debut fall 2011. The show features veteran radio talk show host Bill Cunningham. Cunningham will continue to host his local radio show on WLW-AM and the Premiere Radio Network syndicated show, Sunday Night Live with Bill Cunningham.

Randy Hano is joining lifestyle magazine Time Out Chicago as Vice President and Group Publisher. Hano has served as Publisher of the Chicago Magazine. He replaces Ivy Lester, who has gone out on her own to start a custom publishing business.

Wisconsin-Michigan partner stations WFRV-TV/WJMN-TV President and General Manager Perry Kidder announced that he will retire as soon as Nexstar Broadcasting‘s acquisition of the stations is finalized. WFRV-TV the CBS-affiliate in Green Bay, WI and WJMN-TV the semi-satellite in Michigan’s Central Upper Peninsula are owned by Liberty Media Corporation.

KCNC-TV in Denver relaunches its website to CBSDenver.com. The station is utilizing the WordPress platform.

Some rebranding activity: Denver’s KDVR-TV is now “Fox31 Denver.” KWGN-TV, also in Denver, will be “Colorado’s Own,” in late July.